Smith, Bancroft accept ball tampering bans

Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft will not challenge their suspensions handed down by Cricket Australia for their part in the ball-tampering scandal.

Smith will miss the next 12 months of cricket and has been stripped of the national team captaincy after breaching the code of conduct for having knowledge of, but failing to stop, Bancroft using sandpaper to tamper with the ball on day three of the third Test against South Africa.

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The pair confirmed on social media on Wednesday that they'd accepted their 12 and nine month bans respectively.

Smith, David Warner and Bancroft had been asked to confirm their stance by the end of Thursday ahead of possible hearings on April 11.

"I would give anything to have this behind me and be back representing my country," Smith posted on Twitter.

"But I meant what I said about taking full responsibility as Captain of the team.

"I won’t be challenging the sanctions. They’ve been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them."

Bancroft announced later that he had also accepted his nine-month ban.

"Today I lodged the paperwork with Cricket Australia and will be accepting the sanction handed down," he said.

"I would love to put this behind me and will do whatever it takes to earn back the trust of the Australian public.

"Thank you to all those who have sent messages of support."

Smith was immediately flooded with support for his selfless act.

Warner's camp was still yet to confirm a decision on Wednesday afternoon but it's believed he's likely to challenge his 12-month ban and lifetime leadership ban after he was accused of being the ringleader in the affair.

On Tuesday, Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) president Greg Dyer called on CA to consider recalibrating the bans placed on the Test trio, citing their "disproportionate" lengths of nine and 12 months.

But he says the trio's apologetic, emotional and sometimes teary media conferences after being sent home for their roles in the attempt to alter the ball in Cape Town should also be considered.

"The contrition shown by these men is extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary," Dyer told a media conference in Sydney on Tuesday.

"Their distressed faces have sent a message across the world as effective as any sanction could be.

"I think Australia cried with Steve Smith last Thursday. I know I certainly did.

"We ask for this extraordinary contrition to be taken into account by Cricket Australia just as it would be in any fair and proper process."

Warner's lawyers have reportedly requested evidence gathered during CA's investigation after the scandal surfaced.

The ACA echoed a belief in some cricket circles the bans were too harsh given the International Cricket Council's maximum punishment for ball tampering is a one-Test ban.

"Of the dozen or so matters of this type, the most severe suspension to date has been a ban for two one-day internationals," Dyer said.

"The informed conclusion is that, as right as the motivation is, the proposed penalties are disproportionate relative to precedent.

"The ACA asks Cricket Australia in its final deliberation to consider all these factors.

"We ask consideration be given to recalibrating the proposed sanctions, to consider options such as suspending or reducing part of the sanction, to considering allow players to return to domestic cricket earlier as an important part of their rehabilitation."

Dyer also criticised the decision to let Smith and Bancroft front the media at the end of the day's play at Newlands after the latter was caught by television cameras stuffing the sandpaper down the front of his trousers.

Bancroft admitted to lying in the press conference by claiming to have used sticky tape on the ball.

"The proper process was to allow the players time to consider the charges placed by umpires or the match referee and seek proper advice," Dyer said.

"Instead, they were rushed to a press conference minutes after leaving the field to face the world's media and make rushed statements and admissions.

"This I believe was unfair to the players."

with AAP